ALL GP training places in Wales have been filled this year, following a successful UK-wide and international campaign.

The Train Work Live campaign seeks to promote Wales as an excellent place for all doctors - and following three rounds of recruitment 144 GP training places have been filled, eight more than the number originally available.

This year's uptake builds on the 121 places filled in 2016, and is an increase of 19 per cent.

The campaign includes two financial incentive schemes: A targeted scheme offering a £20,000 incentive to GP trainees taking up posts in specified areas with traditionally low uptake of such posts; and a universal scheme offering a one-off payment for all GP trainees to cover the cost of one sitting of their final examinations.

Health secretary Vaughan Gething said the success of the campaign "shows our marketing campaign has been a great success."

"There are a number of benefits for doctors coming to Wales, including an education contract for junior doctors, the first in the UK.

"It guarantees ringfenced time for learning within the working week to ensure trainee doctors will have access to a wide range of educational opportunities to support their career development.

"The campaign was recently extended to encourage trainee psychiatrists to come to Wales, which is a particular recruitment challenge across the whole of the UK.

"I expect the campaign to go from strength to strength and attract even more doctors to Wales.”